Nations League: USMNT vs El Salvador

Photography by: Nick Pecori

That was a tough one, let’s not sugarcoat it. But it’s good to see Ricardo Pepi on the scoresheet in back-to-back games. Three goals this window, and you can tell he’s got a chip on his shoulder. On Monday night, he was the savior.

It was the USMNT’s first competitive fixture on home soil since the World Cup, and they had most of their starters available for this pivotal Nations League match. With a semifinal spot hanging in the balance for both sides, it was sure to be a testy affair.

El Salvador is used to putting up a fight against the US. In their past four encounters, the Salvadorans have managed to draw twice and only lost by 1-0 on the other two occasions. Chalk it up to their manager Hugo Perez, who has done a fantastic job to forge this squad into a team that could very well make the World Cup for the first time since 1982. On top of that, the Salvadoran community never fails to make their matches in America feel like a neutral ground rather than a full away experience.

That was evident during the first 20 minutes of the match, when El Salvador looked like the better side. Nevertheless, the USMNT was able to grow into the game and slowly wear down the visitors. Still, there would be no breakthrough until the 62nd minute. Pepi had just come on, and his excellent finish past Mario Gonzalez gave the US the much-coveted lead.

In the end, Pepi’s lone goal would be enough, and the USMNT walked away with all three points. Hard-earned but well-deserved. More importantly, it secured a spot in the Nations League semifinals against Mexico. See you then.

Photography by: Nick Pecori